CVE-2023-5762
📋 TL;DR
The Filr WordPress plugin before version 1.2.3.6 contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows attackers with Author-level privileges to execute arbitrary commands on the server. This affects WordPress sites using vulnerable versions of the Filr plugin, potentially leading to complete server compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- Filr WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
Filr by Filr Project
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete server takeover, data exfiltration, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement to other systems.
Likely Case
Website defacement, malware injection, credential theft, and backdoor installation.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper access controls and network segmentation are in place, though the vulnerability still exists.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires Author-level access, which could be obtained through other vulnerabilities or social engineering.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.2.3.6
Vendor Advisory: https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/6ad99725-eccc-4b61-bce2-668b62619deb
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find Filr plugin and click 'Update Now'. 4. Verify version is 1.2.3.6 or higher.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Filr Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patching is possible.
wp plugin deactivate filr
Restrict Author Privileges
allReview and limit Author-level user accounts to trusted individuals only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove the Filr plugin entirely from the WordPress installation.
- Implement strict network segmentation and web application firewall rules to block suspicious command execution attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Installed Plugins for Filr version.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name=filr --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Filr plugin version is 1.2.3.6 or higher in WordPress admin.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual PHP execution patterns in web server logs
- Suspicious POST requests to Filr plugin endpoints
- Unexpected system command execution in process logs
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from web server to unusual destinations
- Command and control traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (uri="/wp-content/plugins/filr/*" OR user_agent CONTAINS "filr") AND status=200